In My Arms
by InsideTheTardisScribbles
Summary: Elyne and the Doctor bond up


**I listened to****_ In My Arms_**** by ****_Dead by April_**** while I wrote this. Hope you'll like ****it** 😉

Elyne slowly woke up and stretched herself as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. She took Dexter and walked, still in her pajamas, through the Tardis. She shyly poked her head out of the Tardis, she knew the Doctor could have visitors, she was affraid of strangers and to bother the Doctor. Luckily he was sitting at his office reading his books, alone.

"Good morning little one."

Elyne slightly jumped as the Doctor's voice rose up. She watched her guardian getting up and walking smoothly to her. Everytime she saw him, her eyes sparkled. She was about to run to hug him but she stopped herself. The Doctor usually let her hug him but maybe he would grow tired of it one day she thought. To her it was better to get less hugs than to be pushed away.

Later that day, Elyne was playing in the console room while the Doctor worked with that girl, like every evenings now. Bill was her name and she liked her. She looked nice. Elyne just sat there and listened to their conversation. After an hour, the Doctor came back in the Tardis.

"Hello you." he smiled.

Elyne felt a warm feeling in her chest as the Doctor ran his hand through her hairs. When he walked away, she put her hand on her head and smiled. She felt so happy. She needed him to hold her right now. She got up to follow the man but she heard a talk between Bill and Nardole.

"Don't mind him." Nardole said.

"Yeah I noticed the Doctor was more a grizzly bear than a teddy bear." Bill chuckled.

"I swear, I hugged him once and I thought he would slay me." explained the cyborg. "This man truly hates hugs."

Elyne gasped. She felt her heart painfully tighten up. She pulled Dexter and hugged him close to her, looking for comfort.

"Stop that, you just ate."

The Doctor slightly pouted as Nardole took the bag of crisps from his hands.

"Fine mom." he sighed.

As soon as Nardole left his office, the Timelord pulled another bag from his pocket and started snacking on it. He was bored. Maybe he could go for a walk he thought.

He got up and went to Elyne's room. He really tried to bond with her, but he did not know how to do it. He tried spending time with her, playing with her. Even hugging. Well... at least he let her hugging him. First steps were not his thing. He noticed that the child was more sensitive to physical affection though, but lately she looked distant , maybe he was wrong. He never thought he would genuily miss someone's hugs. He knocked at the door and smiled when the little girl opened the big door.

"Wanna go for a walk ?" the Doctor smiled.

The Doctor saw Elyne started to grow tired. She was walking behind him dragging her feet. They walked for forty minutes, they got some ice cream and now they were heading back to the campus.

"Do you want me to carry you ?" the Doctor asked.

He saw her tiny eyebrows frown briefly before she happily lifted her arms up to him.

"Come here Cuddle Bug." he chuckled scooping her up in his arms.

He felt her head snuggling under his chin as she clenched tight on him. A slight smile came across his face when he heard her content sigh. Was it cuddle time ? The Doctor gladly welcomed this precious moment.

Later this evening, Elyne was sitting comfortably on the couch, watching Toy Story. The Doctor was sitting next to her, reading a book and sometime watching the movie as well. Sometime he made a funny face and it made Elyne giggle. She wanted to come in his arms. She did not know why, she just needed it. But she already hugged him earlier, and she did not want to upset him. She sighed and kept watching the movie quietly.

When the Doctor leaned back into a more comfortable position, she finally tried an approach. She slowly crawled closer to him, hoping he would not notice her. She stopped when he moved his arm and laid it along the couch, leaving an opening at his side. Elyne bit her lower lip nervously, she could feel her heart racing. Luckily her guardian kept looking down at the book. After a minute she came closer and shyly put her head against his side. The Doctor did not react. She sighed, relieved.

"You know, you can ask me when you want a hug." the Doctor told.

Elyne froze. She felt embarrassed and scared. She looked up and saw the Doctor looking down at her. She sat up and looked down at her hands.

"Please don't be angry." she whispered.

"Why would I be angry ?" The Doctor frowned and paused the movie.

"Because I want to hug you." she confessed, rubbing her hands together nervously.

"Then hug me." the Timelord smiled and pulled the child back to his side.

"But you hate hugs."

"That's not true ! " he retorted. "And why do you think that ?" he lied Elyne down on his lap so she could face him.

"I heard Nardole saying you hated hugs."

"I will tell you a secret." he fondly booped her nose. "I only tell that to Nardole because he would cling on me all the time ! Uurgh !" he winced.

Elyne giggled when she saw his grimace. Then she bit her lips.

"What is it little one ?"

"W-What if I want to hug you all the time too ?" she stuttered.

Elyne expected a sharp answer, but instead the Doctor's eyes widened and he bursted out laughing.

"Oh my little one." he pulled her close to his chest. "Are you affraid that I push you away ?"

The little girl nodded against his chest. She did not know why he reacted like this, but she was relieved to be close to him. She felt his hand running through her hairs.

"I would never refuse a hug from you." he whispered.

The Doctor carried Elyne to her bed. She peacefully fell asleep in his arms before the end of the movie. He sat on the bed but did not put Elyne in it, he wanted to keep her in his arms a bit longer. He looked down at the sleepy child, she was curled up in a small ball and her face was snuggled against his chest. What an idiot. Because of his cold facade, she doubted him. He won't let that happen again. To hell with his pride ! This child needed him more than everything else.

He gently lied her down in the bed and put her cuddly toy in her arms. He smiled when she clang on it tightly. He softly covered her up then he hesitated. He bit his lips nervously before putting a soft kiss on her forehead. He could not help it, his parental instinct was stronger.

"Sweet dreams." he whispered nuzzling his nose against her brown hairs.


End file.
